STEP RIGHT UP AND FIND A JOB AT THE FAIR

Almost 3,000 temporary positions available to staff this seaside staple

Children as young as 14 can get a full-time job at the fair as long as they have a work permit from their school.

‘A rite of passage’

Roughly 180 employees work throughout the year for the agricultural association. They bring in about 1,900 extra employees between January and July each year to help put on one of the nation’s largest fairs.

Hiring that many people presents a unique challenge, said Marianne Hoke, a manger with the Agricultural Association’s human resources department.

“Hiring for the fair is like recruiting and then training for a grand opening every year,” she said. “Most organizations only go through mass hiring once; it’s an annual event for us.”

The association has already received more than 1,000 applications and will continue posting jobs through May, Zweig said. Ambassador and exhibit worker are particularly popular positions, she said.

The fair is only one of about 350 events held at the fairgrounds each year, including horse races, product shows and festivals.

All told, the activities boost the county economy by about $450 million annually, Zweig said.

Some of the seasonal employees are already at work, organizing exhibits and planning events, such as the wacky contests and festivals dedicated to beer, wine, gospel music and bacon.

Getting a job at the fair is a rite of passage for many county residents, Zweig said.

“If you’ve been here for any length of time, you’ve either worked at the fairground or the racetrack, or you know somebody who did,” she said.